Phantoms
by Sarah the mutant farm girl
Summary: 13th in series Suicides in Sparta Michigan catch the hunters' attention but can't hold the girls long. While the Winchesters battle a ghost loving family the Daemons have to face truckers.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or any related materials, they belong to Kripke**

**A/N: **_Told you it wouldn't take long. For those of you who haven't read Boogeyman, Race to Kill, Burning Family, From the Ashes, Werewolf Territory, Next Time, Viva Las Vegas, Shifting, Bleed, The Hanging Tree, Devil's Child, or Purple People Eater, I strongly suggest you read them._

**I'm going to plug too, you should all read the stories by **_WanderingAnariel, I-have-a-Winchester06, Poisonchik88, and SeerBlack!_** They're all wonderful stories from my most loyal reviewers. Without them I'd be stuck somewhere way back around Werewolf Territory where my sister quit. **

**Phantoms**

**Chapter One**

_April 1st, 2007, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada_

Will threw back his head taking another swig from his flask, a bad habit that was only getting worse. The cute blonde number across the tent was playing shy for his benefit, and he knew if he played his cards right he'd get more than hammered tonight. A firm hand on his shoulder drew him back to reality away from images of blonde locks since past.

"Ready 'migo?"

"Yea," he handed over a five, having not exchanged his money, and mounted the mechanical bull.

Bucking, spinning, twists and turns that threw most riders did little to unsettle him. Will moved with the bull let it lead him just like she'd taught him to do. Seconds slipped into minutes and the world blurred, sound became a faint buzz. Will fed off the dizzy adrenaline. On top of the world until he hit the mat. Will picked himself back up, too another drag of his whiskey, and staggered back in the vague direction of the port-a-let. He didn't make it, empting the contents of his stomach into a sawed off blue barrel serving as a trash can. He gave a moan with his final heave, wanting nothing more than to lay down and die.

"Here, let me help you." The cute blonde had followed him. Will didn't put up a fight letting her take his weight and drag him away. "I'm Evelyn."

"Will," he belched.

"Well, Will, you here alone?" he nodded "Anyone I can call to pick you up?"

"No, I'm days away from home." He answered sourly.

"Then I'll just have to take you home with me." She sighted. "Can't leave you like this."

Evelyn prattled on steering him to a shinny new Jeta. The beeping told him it was unlocked, seconds before he was poured into the backseat. The gentle hum of the Volkswagen mixed with the classical music lulled him to a sleep so deep he couldn't remember walking in the house when he woke up the next day. Or that could have been the alcohol.

His tongue was thick and heavy, his whole mouth tasted like bile, there was even a jack hammer in his head. But none of that mattered as much as the frilly lavender room he was in that he didn't know. Will climbed out of bed and stumbled into the matching bathroom. A note was stuck to the mirrior.

Will shower and make yourself at home. Don't bother trying to leave, you're mine. Kisses! Evelyn

_May 8th, 2007, Sparta, Michigan _

Iris pulled on her robe crossing the finished basement that made her room. The fire in the fire place was dying, mix of scented candles burning low, the dvd player played a endless stream of sappy Billy Gilman songs, the lights were turned down just watts from being off. She sighed knowing she was only a few short moves from a "Game Over". Quickly, she bottled her fears, He wouldn't like that, before opening the cellar door. There stood Scottie, without a doubt the love of her young life. There was a distance in his hazel eyes that threatened to release the pinned up emotions. Scottie reached out jerking her to him, their bodies crashed together and his lips stole hers. She managed to back up dragging him in the room.

"Got the note?" he released her just as suddenly as he'd grabbed her. She followed him deeper into her room. He took it all in, savoring the atmosphere she'd created before turning to her. A smile played at his torn lips when he saw the silk nightie she was wearing. "Have I told you recently how beautiful you are?"

"Doesn't matter, its nearly over." She tried to hide the sadness claiming her eyes.

"He wants this, we have to do it." Scottie reminded her.

"Come on then, I printed the note. We just have to sign it." She led him to the more bedroomy area of the basement snatching the note off the printer deck and handing it to him. Scottie read it over before finding a pen and signing. Iris added hers just below his name, hyphenating her last name to combine his.

"Rissy?" she smiled at him.

"You said you always saw us growing old together, so why not?" she kissed him and laid the note under the white dove paper weight her little brother, Bud, had made.

"I love you, you know that right?"

"Scottie, I've never been surer of anything." The fire jumped to life from red coals to a blaze, the little flames of the candles were jumping up, dancing hungrily. They both knew that He was here to take them, now. Iris slid a hand under her pillow withdrawing her dad's .45. They sank to the floor together, trying not to postpone this any longer. "See you on the other side."

"I'll be right there."

One right after the other two shots were fired and two lives lost. The silencer on the gun allowed them not to be found until the following morning. Long after all hope of saving them had gone, the fire had died out and the CD run its course.

_May 12th, 2007, Sparta, Michigan_

"Who the hell is 'he'?" Dean glared at the page in his hand. It truly was amazing the things kids put on their web pages anymore. The goodbye note Iris Underwood had left in her room was on a dozen different websites she frequented. Blogs were fired up about the news and none of them knew who 'he' was.

"They killed themselves on 'his' orders." Autumn was filtering through Iris' blog entries propped against the head board, the gash on her stomach was nearly healed the stitches would come out in a day or two.

"Guys its getting on one, I'm going to bed." Athena said standing up. "Sammy, you comin'?"

"Yea, be there in a minute." He waved her out still lost in the research.

"Don't stay up too late guys." Athena bid leaving.

Sam was first up the next morning and went for coffee and donuts, to pass the time until the others were stirring. He didn't realize the moment the Mustang roar died away in the distance, Athena was up. As quick as she could she shoved her belongings in her duffle bag with a few of her prepacked favored weapons, she scribbled down a note on motel stationary:

Guys-

Don't come after me. I need to do this. I'll be fine.

Kill you later

Teenie

One last sweep of the room and she was off to the closest bus station, west. She couldn't do this. Will needed her and she wasn't going to leave him lost. She couldn't do that to him, even if he could do it to her. She had to find him.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okay so we're both going to be surprised where this chapter goes, I'm doing my a/n before writing it. I've spent a lot of time trying to peg this chapter but it remains as elusive as curls of smoke. So bare with me I know where this fic is going I just need to stop for directions to get there, and I'm shy as all get out so you know I'm not going to be stopping.**

**Chapter Two**

Sam pocketed the keys, and climbed out of the Mustang, his next problem was going to be balancing a box of donuts, four coffees, and opening the motel room door, which he'd locked. He'd watched Athena and Autumn do it often enough with trays and beer at the bar, so he slid the crate of coffees on top of the donut box and hit the car door with his hip to shut it, in a way too feminine display. He fished the room key out only to find the door was unlocked, figuring Athena was already up he didn't think much of it, opening the door.

"Teenie, I've got coffee, not that I'm sure its much better than yours." He'd had a drag of the brown-black liquid in the car and it was just a hair better than the concoctions Athena called coffee. He sat the box on the TV and turned to the room, only to find it empty. "Teenie?" he called already knowing he wouldn't get a response. He swallowed hard when he saw the pad of paper was out instead of tucked in the drawer like it had been before he left. He tried to convince himself that it was just her telling him she'd taken John out for a walk, but her bag was missing from the foot of her bed where she'd dropped it when they'd arrived two days ago.

Guys-

Don't come after me. I need to do this. I'll be fine.

Kill you later

Teenie

Sam swore under his breath, there was only one thing this could be, and it definitely wasn't something as safe and cozy as going off to college like he'd done. He knew she'd be headed to find Will soon, but he'd thought that they'd all be with her. He sat down on the edge of her bed to try and put this together. Autumn would go ballistic; she'd be stark raving mad and try to go after her sister. Dean would be hot on her trail; neither of them understood this need. Neither of them were ready to accept what he'd only seen in Athena the once, on the night he'd taken her back to the motel. Taking a deep breath he decided there was no tactful way to say this, he'd just have to spit it out.

Autumn dropped a soaking towel on Dean's face, giggling and jumping back when he started in bed. "What the Hell?" he asked dancing between amused and furious as he made futile attempts to catch her.

"Time to get up sleepy head," she chirped.

"What makes you so pleasant this morning?" he disentangled himself from the bed and stumbled to the bathroom, not bothering to close the door so the conversation could continue.

"Kid's have joint funerals today. A smidge late because of the shady circumstances surrounding their deaths: such as two happy, healthy, young lovers offing themselves in a romantic setting." She dropped onto the bed flinging the towel in the direction of the bathroom and dragging her duffel bag into her lap. "But while the family's away the hunters will play." She added in a sing-song voice.

"You read this kid's bog you know they've got big dogs, have you got anything to distract them?"

"Blog, babe. And my uncanning beauty isn't enough?" she batted her lashes at him as he returned to rummage through his own bag, invoking the morning routine.

"You're going to stop them with your dazzling smile, eh?" he teased. Rolling her eyes Autumn pulled on her jeans. She was about to throw a smart ass remark back at Dean when some one knocked at the door.

"Who goes there?" she asked.

"Sam," came the answer from the other side of the door. Dean handed Autumn a shirt going to unlock the door for his brother.

"What's up?" he asked. Sam hesitated before coming in and his eyes darted around like a cornered animal. "Sammy, what's wrong?" Autumn came up behind him, gently moving Dean out of the way and drawing Sam in, she forced him down in a chair and knelt before him.

"Hey, you look like you've just seen a ghost." He offered a faint smile at her joke and swallowed.

"Athena's gone." Sam finally spoke up handing Autumn the note.

"What do you mean gone?" Autumn demanded reading the slip of paper in her hands. "Didn't she say anything to you?" she passed a waiting Dean the goodbye note without taking her eyes off of Sam.

"No, she never said anything about leaving." He told her keeping his voice calm, though he knew if the shoe were on the other foot he'd be a little freaked out right now too. Autumn stood up and went for her bag, shoving her feet in her shoes, and all mislaid belongings in her bag.

"Let's go, we go now, we can catch up." She was already at the door, and just like he'd thought Dean was following suit.

"We can't chase her down." Sam said standing up but making no effort to leave. Autumn reeled around on him, dropping her bag and stalking toward him.

"Why the hell not?" she demanded fire flashing in her eyes.

"She doesn't want us to. We go after her she'll think we don't trust her on her own." He played the guilt card earlier than he'd planned and Autumn faltered.

"She can go; we just have to talk to her first." Dean said clearing the matter up. "She can't just walk out."

"No, she can." Sam assured him. "Look, guys, she needs to do this. She needs us to be confident in her and wait until she calls us before we hunt her down. She needs to know she's her own person."

"Damn it, Sam, she knows that." Autumn stomped her foot, but already the signs of defeat were showing.

"Does she really?" Sam pushed a little further. Autumn refused to meet his eyes and Dean inched closer to her, as if he really thought Sam was going to keep going and she'd need saving. The moment stretched like a lazy cat, taking control of the room with ease and then it was gone. "I've got coffee and donuts, when you're ready." he told them before slipping out of the room.

"Go eat, I'll be there in a minute and we'll head to the house." Autumn dismissed Dean going back to her bag to find a different shirt, as much as she like wearing his tees it wasn't something she'd be seen in public wearing.

"You sure?" Dean asked lingering.

"Yea, we've got a hunt to take care of. Everything will be fine." Neither of the two were sure if she was trying to convince him or herself, but Dean grabbed his boots and went after his brother for a quick breakfast. The moment Dean was out of the room Autumn dialed her sister's number and wasn't surprised by the voice mail message.

"Yea, I'm not answering, big surprise. I'll call you when the time is right. Take care, dweebs." Athena's voice was sugary and teasing, the thought of her alone somewhere nearly brought tears to her sister's eyes. Autumn threw the phone on her bed and finished getting ready, she didn't have time for silly kids game.

The long drive was marked by a beaten tin mailbox. The practical familiarity of the red brick house was lost to the hunters, who scanned thee house for ways to get in. The place was a burglaries' dream: open windows with the screens improperly installed, garage door open the door leading to the house cracked where a rug had got caught in the door jam. On the tree lined, cracked, blacktop driveway the Impala looked out of place, or it could have been the monster pick ups it was parked next to. Autumn let Sam out of the back seat looking across the top of the car at Dean who was still appraising the house.

"How you want to get in?" she grinned.

"They've got it locked up tight, I don't know how we could get in short of TNT or a battering ram." He answered her.

"No one locks up outside of suburbia." Sam reminded them, almost defending the house's occupants.

"Duh, I don't think we ever locked our doors, of course there was a gun in just about every room too so…" she trailed off. Dean started for the garage, the easiest way in, and the others followed.

"Aut, you have your smile ready to stop the dog?" he teased, easing open the door.

Betsy froze, she didn't recognize those voices. At least two males and a female, she waited until they'd disappeared toward the basement, only confirming her fear that they weren't from the funeral, and went to the kitchen. She pulled a knife from the wood block and tucked it up her sleeve, pre-dialing 91, before going to follow the voices. Betsy was used to hearing them in this house, it was a common place.

"Someone had a lot of leash." The female voice said in a tone that made Betsy want to go slap its owner. Iris had her parents trust, because she was a good girl, what happened wasn't because she had too much 'leash'.

"Her room's better equipped than most the motels we've been to." One of the men answered, ruling out the possibility of ghosts. Swallowing the spike of fear that tried to stop her she padded down the stairs silently.

"Dude, this leads to the backyard." She could see the speaker now, he looked rather average from behind, the other two trespassers came from behind the wall blocking her vision of the rest of the basement.

"Yea, that's how the boy got in, parents said he wasn't here when everyone went to bed." The woman spoke, she looked about like most twenty-somethings, though she carried herself in a way that, despite the soft impossibly innocent voice, made her seem dangerous beyond words.

"But no demonic traces, so that can be ruled out." The tall guy with the shaggy hair that accompanied the woman said. Betsy held herself still, the way she did so often when stumbling across wild life in the woods, afraid that any sound would scare off the object of her curiosity. As she watched them, she realized they all radiated with the same hidden danger vibe, she wasn't surprised at all to see the flash of silver when the shorter man stretched his arms over his head causing his shirt to ride up. This flash made her little knife obsolete, she quickly surveyed the other two for weapons, and noticed similar bulges or flashes of metal when their clothes would move revealing soft flesh and weaponry.

"Boys, we've got company." The woman said nodding in Betsy's direction. Betsy tried to make herself look completely at ease, though this wasn't very possible with her heart racing, pumping adrenaline through her veins like it'd never get the pleasure of hyping her up again. The men turned to look at her and the tall one stepped out, hands held out showing he was unarmed, a lie she knew, and smile. She watched him cautiously as he shook his head enough to toss the chocolate locks from his puppy dog eyes.

"Let me guess you come in peace?" she asked with the hint of the snarky attitude her brother had sworn would get her killed.

"We do." He smiled politely, the pair behind him moved closer so they'd all be in her line of vision at once; seeming to know exactly how to handle terrified home owners.

"Wish I could say the same. What are you doing invading my home planet?" she kept up the sci-fi theme.

"We're looking for a renewed source of food," the first intruder she'd seen said.

"Don't eat me, I don't taste good." The woman smiled at some joke she didn't catch and it made Betsy mad, up to this point life had been kind enough to keep people from laughing at her while posing a threat. "Look, my folks are going to be back in a minute, so you've got that long to convince me not to call the cops."

"Now, come on, you don't want to do that," the short guy told her.

"No, Dean, if the girl wants to call the cops let her," the other man argued.

"What are you after, and why are you looking for 'demonic traces'?" she demanded.

"Do you believe in ghosts?" the woman asked, she looked like she wanted to step forward but didn't want to scare Betsy either.

"Like Casper?" It was a question Betsy often tried to avoid, few people managed to not question her sanity on this topic.

"Kind of," the woman nodded. "Sweet heart, have you ever seen something that can't be explained?"

"A: I'm not your sweet heart, I'm Betsy. B: You're insane."

"That's probably true, Betsy, but do you really believe your friends here killed themselves? Would they do something like that?" The woman continued not realizing how close she was hitting to a thought that had plagued Betsy the past few days.

"No, Scottie, and Ris were happy, they wouldn't do this. But J.R. would have stopped them. He always stops the bad things."

"J.R.?" the woman asked. It was too late, when Betsy realized her mistake.

"Iris' older brother, he's always kept a really close eye on us." The woman must have sensed the break in her defenses because she stepped cautiously forward.

"He must be really broken up about this." Betsy snorted.

"I'm sure he is, but he doesn't show it."

"I'm Autumn, and these are Sam and Dean.," the woman introduced them. Her name was fitting, and surely her parents' bad joke, as she had a mane of auburn hair that reminded Betsy of the fall.

"What do you want?" Betsy forced past the lump forming in her throat.

"We want to help, but you're going to have to work with us. You can't call the cops on us, we won't hurt you or anyone else, I promise." Autumn's voice was infinitely more guarded now that she knew Betsy was there, before real emotion had been evident now it was like a well rehearsed play.

"Your question, about the ghosts," Autumn nodded encouragingly. "I know they're real, I've seen them."


	3. Chapter 3

-1

**A/N: I've been "writing" this for days, but it's been slow going I'm having computer time issues. That and every time I sit down Pyro, my annoying flame loving cat whose got a cold and is sneezing like crazy plus is shedding like mad, wants to be in my lap or on my shoulders or my head or on the keyboard. I'm ready to take him out back and shoot him. I have a fiction press account that you can get to from my profile, I'm only mentioning this again because I started writing (in a notebook) a vampire story last night (its my new thing it won't last long but I'm trapped in Twilight), I plan on putting it up there as soon as I know where its going if anyone is interested it reading it. ALSO I'm going to plug The New Kid written by TammiTam it's a really good first fic.**

**Chapter Three **

Athena glared at the bus as it pulled away, swearing under her breath about the little nosy brat who'd seen her weapons and got her deserted on the highway in the middle a no where. She was fairly certain that this was only the beginning of the tough luck she'd have on her way to where ever she was going. She heaved a sigh and climbed out of the ditch toward some shrubbery that'd hide her while she changed out of her jeans into shorts. The steady downpour would make sure she couldn't stand her jeans in all of two minutes if she kept them on. She was tempted to call Autumn, but admitting defeat already wasn't an option, so she stuffed her jeans in her bag, her feet in her shoes, and secured the duffle bag over her shoulder.

As she trudged on, the way the bus had been headed, she played with a list of people who'd help her. But she wasn't in any immediate danger, and help was nearly as bad as defeat. She promised to call Marc as soon as she got to the next stop, hadn't Jasper said he's the only one searching for Will? She'd have to call Jen eventually too, find out who he'd been hunting with so she could get a hold of them. Athena tried to convince herself that she'd done all the research she could and remain off of Autumn's radar, but she knew that wasn't true. Autumn wouldn't have noticed a few e-mails here and there collecting this information before hand, she wouldn't have said a word about her calling Marc and checking on things. If anyone would have understood Athena's want to know everything on Will's disappearance Autumn would have, but it was too late now. Athena sucked her bottom lip in and started chewing on it. _Teenie-girl, what have you gotten into now?_

Betsy watched them carefully, and the hunters knew they were under inspection. "You think a ghost made them do it?"

"That's the idea, yea." Sam nodded. They'd left yesterday not long after Betsy admitted to believing in ghosts, the family was starting to show and they didn't want to be there for that.

"You said you've seen them, what are they doing when you see them?" Autumn coaxed.

"You know normal stuff." Betsy shrugged. "Grandpa Ben'll be in the chicken barn gathering eggs, Grandma rocks in her chair upstairs, not that we've ever seen her, they just do what they did when they were alive. They react to changes too, Ben sees us he'll wave, when we got rid of the cow he stopped walking the pasture fence."

"They've never been violent?" Dean asked perplexed.

"No," Betsy grinned. "Hell they've save us more than a few times." That caught the hunters' attention, the girl bit her lip knowing she'd said something now.

"Bets, you wanna explain that one?" Autumn asked gently. Betsy, liked the woman, she was easy to talk to, like she'd been on the wrong side of the world her whole life and knew how to deal with it, she wasn't prepared with a million motherly things to say like most women her age when talking to younger girls she seemed more like everyone's big sister.

"Okay, so like things will happen and then they stop." Betsy said knowing she was being too vague for help. Autumn nodded waiting for more. "Like, we were always told to stay out of the corn crib because it was 'one gust of wind from hittin' the ground'" she mimicked her father's voice. "So one day all of us were goofing off in there and it started coming down, everyone made it out 'cept me and suddenly it just stopped falling long enough for Scott to come in and drag me out, we were just barely clear when if crashed."

"What else?" Autumn prompted. Sam and Dean fell back though they didn't move, Betsy saw the strategy here, she knew the boys had realized who she trusted and weren't going to intervene.

"When Scott and J.R. were ten we were out playing on the pond, it was frozen over, and we were just walking on the ice around the edge. But Bud fell, and slid out towards the center when he stood up to walk back he went through the ice. J.R. and Iris sent me and Scott running for adults and they went out. Iris first, she was lighter, but she went through too. When Scottie and I came back with help J.R. was gone and Iris and Bud were laying on the snow out cold." she closed her eyes a moment trying to summon the details and will to keep going. "There were adult foot prints going into the pond and coming out leading to both of their bodies then they went in again and never came out. The pond was drained the spring, we never found J.R.'s body and the foot prints came from now where we don't know who saved them." Autumn exchanged a look with her boys.

"Can you take us to the pond?" she asked. Betsy nodded with a smile.

"If that's what you want, but the farm is… well it's a tad messed up."

The farm wasn't far from Betsy's house, it settled into the valley between the two hills on top of which perched Betsy's house and the house Iris and Scott killed themselves in was on the other. Dean parked the Impala on the gravel drive and they all piled out. Betsy looking around like she was waiting on an attack, and then it came. First the sound of something running across the gravel then the growls followed. That's when Dean saw it, a large German Shepard running at them. He pulled Betsy back behind him when she tried to stand between them and the pissed off dog.

"Dean, let me go!" she squirmed under his grip and managed to get ahead of him. "Gretz!" she held her hand up in the halt position. "Sit!" she demanded and the dog stopped and sat down. "She's not real." Betsy said over her shoulder. "She was hit by a car in '98. Go lay down honey, I'll bring you a bone in a bit." the dog took off toward the barns where it'd come from.

"Next time warn us if your ghost dog is going to attack." Dean growled going to the trunk to grab a rock salt loaded gun.

"I did! I told you this place was messed up." Betsy protested. Autumn and Sam snickered looking around for the next spook. "The pond is this way."

"Sugar and spice my ass." Dean muttered following the girl off to the left of the barns between them and a field.

"We can get rid of her for you." Autumn offered running to catch up.

"Who? Gretz?" Betsy asked as they peaked a slight rise. The three hunters stopped behind the teen, they were standing just yards from a large dead ring of nothing. It didn't appear that anything had ever grown here, the grass on the edges was a sickly yellow phasing slowly out into the healthy vibrant green they stood on.

"What the hell?" Dean muttered looking the vacant field over.

"When they filled the pond in nothing ever grew, seemed like over night even the seeds turned to ash." Betsy said almost mournfully. "But as for Gretz don't touch her. You can do whatever to who ever is killing people, but the others are off limits."

"What?" all three hunters gawked at the girl. Betsy turned around to face them, round face slightly reddened, her hands on her hips.

"Don't look at me like that. These aren't just ghosts to me. They're my family, my pets. I've been around them as long as I can remember, they've never hurt anyone. So, you have to off one or two fine, but anyone who isn't directly involved is left alone."

"Betsy," Dean started and Autumn put her hand up stopping him.

"Why don't you think on it, there may be no other way. Can you live with that?" Betsy knew she wasn't going to get anywhere fast with Autumn and Dean on this one so she looked to Sam. The wheels were obviously turning in that pretty little head of his.

"Sam, don't let them do anything they don't have to." she pleaded.

"I… We'll see what we can do." Sam promised.

**A/N: Yes, its VERY short. I'm sorry. But I wanted to get this out before I lost you all. I'm have a little difficulty getting into this at the moment. I'll do what I can to make the next chapter longer and out soon. **


	4. Chapter 4

-1

**A/N: I've had an icky day so far so I'm going to write, apologize for whatever I do in this chapter.**

**Chapter Four **

_Northern Nebraska, May 15th_

Athena heaved a sigh and dropped down on the ground, leaning back into her duffle bag and playing with the zipper of her backpack. She was about at wits end with this hitch hiking shit, they made it look too easy in the movies. Hold your thumb up and suddenly four cars later there was a nice couple in a station wagon there to pick you up, she rolled her eyes. She was pretty sure this stretch of highway was abandoned. It didn't take long before Athena's travel worn mind gave over to sleep, drifting in and out never dropping off enough to really reenergize. Her phone ringing startled her out of her current state, she checked the ID afraid Autumn was trying to call again.

"Hey," she grinned into the phone as she answered.

"Hey, Blondie! What are you up to?" Darcy asked sounding to bored for either of their good.

"Oh you know, trying to bum a ride to Canada." Athena said trying to make it sound normal.

"I've done that before, show the truckers a little leg." Darcy teased. "So what are you really doing?"  
"Seriously Dar, I'm hitching."

"Where are you? I was going to take a case but I'll come get you guys. What happened to the cars? I thought Dean and Autumn worshipped those things.""Scarlet and the Impala are fine as far as I know. I'm not with them any more; we sort of split."

"I repeat where are you I'll come get you."

"I'm at a cross roads, out in northern Nebraska, but I'm not telling you anything else." Athena was quiet a moment and Darcy was waiting on her to break. "Darcy, you can't tell Autumn anything okay? She can't know I'm hitching, or lost."

"Teenie, why don't you call me when you get to town and I'll come meet you."

"I'll call, if you promise not to tell Autumn." Athena bargained.

"I promise." Darcy swore. "You want to tell me why you've ditched your pack?"

"It's nothing really, this guy I know has gone missing and they obviously don't have any interest in figuring out why or how so I'm going after him."

"A guy?"

"Okay, Will Raining." she rolled her eyes feeling every bit like she was talking to Darcy in person.  
"I heard about that, isn't his lap dog, the kid that was orphaned by vampires, looking for him?" Darcy questioned further.

"Yea, Marc's out after him."

"Didn't realize you were so tight." Darcy kept talking but Athena stopped listening watching a large Mack truck slowing down as it approached, the shinny chrome sparkled in the fading sunlight. Painted in beautiful flames on the door was the name Phantom 309.

"Hey, you need a ride?" the driver called kicking open the passenger door. Athena nodded numbly.

"Dar, I'll talk to you later I just got a ride."

"On what?"

"The Phantom," she hung up without waiting on Darcy's response and stuff the phone in her pocket swinging her bags over her shoulder and climbing into the cab.

"I'm Big Joe," the man leered.

"Athena."

_Sparta, Michigan, May 16th_

"Something is definitely going on where that pond was." Autumn said rolling her shoulders. They'd been chasing their tails all day, she was worried sick about her sister who still was ignoring all forms of contact and she's slipped word to Jen for any hunter who spotted Athena to report to her immediately. It wasn't a matter of not trusting Athena, she did, but no matter how old they got Athena would always be her baby sister and that meant long past death Athena was her responsibility. Dean was tooling around with a hand gun, Sam clicking away on his computer, and she sat on her bed comparing notes in the journals strewn across it.

"Thank you Captain Obvious." Dean snapped. They'd been over the details of what they'd seen at Betsy's farm a hundred times. The ghost dog, the old man that appeared in the barns and would wave, the way doors opened and shut on their own, something was knocking on various walls. Betsy didn't seem upset in the least, she waved back at the old man, took the ghost dog a biscuit, and knocked the same pattern back on the walls. When a door would shut behind them as they toured the barns and old farm house she kindly and calmly asked that it stopped.

"If it's the brother we don't have a body, we'll have to do a total cleansing." Autumn reminded them.

"Cut the girl a break, she's just lost her brother we can't take everything else away too." Sam pleaded.

"Yea, that's another thing," Dean looked up from his gun. "The girl has spent every day of her life with Scott and Iris and she's not tore up at all about them dying. It's like she knew it was coming."

"You think Betsy is in on this?" Autumn asked disbelieving.

"Not like people haven't worked with ghosts before, look at Tommy back in Vegas." Dean pointed out.

"Yea, but he showed signs of distress, he was cracking over it." Autumn said shaking off the memory of the hunt in question.

"What about Iris' little brother, we've not seen him and Betsy said he's pretty messed up." Sam offered another route to take, from the way Betsy told it Bud was taking this harder than he should have, even if he'd already lost a brother. The boy wasn't doing anything, his parents were considering hospitalization.

"I'll go talk to him this afternoon," Autumn offered.

"No, Sammy you and that patented puppy look go talk to the Bud. Autumn you and I are going to back to the farm." Dean ordered.

"Why, we've already been there?" Autumn looked perplexed.

"Something is locking spirits down, we've got to figure out what and remove it. Everyone who had died on the property is still there, that's not right." he explained.

"Okay, boss." Autumn bounced off her bed. "I'll get my hip boots and we can go wade through the shit."

"Don't sound so happy about it." Dean shot back at her, sensing the argument that was coming Sam folded down his computer and started slinking out.

"I'm just doing what you said, Dean. Do you want me to come back with something else to do?"

"No, Autumn, but you could at the very least drop the sarcasm." Sam stifled a groan, he hadn't made it and any movement now would attract their attention his best bet was to sit still and wait it out. They'd been at each other's throats all day, and he wasn't sure if it was the hunt, Athena, or that Dean had breached the subject of Autumn's current physical abilities, a good piece of muscle had been shredded back in Rhode Island.

"I'm sarcastic? You're the one that can't get through a simple sentence with out some lame ass joke, is it really so hard to have a normal conversation?"

"With you? Yea, it is. Can't tell what's going to send you into RoboAutumn mode."

"I'm withdrawn?" Autumn gave a hallow laugh shaking her head. "Whatever Mr. Sensitivity."

"Yes, dear. You can be very withdrawn. You seem to have it branded in that little head of yours that I've got some master plan and am only using you." Dean was near yelling level, both of standing now.

"Oh you mean like you think I'm going to get up and leave you for no damn reason?"

"Yes!" Dean shouted, before assuming the 'oh shit' face. Autumn started to reply but her phone rang, all three of the room's occupants stared down at the phone still lying on the bed. "Answer the damn phone," Dean growled picking up steam again. Autumn scooped the phone up and barely registered the number before flicking it open.

"Yea, Jen. What have you found?" With one name the room's atmosphere did a complete turn around.

"I'm e-mailing you the details now, I think Athena's got herself in trouble." Jen said too calmly for Autumn's liking.

"What kind of trouble?"

"Darcy Valover called yesterday afternoon, said she'd talked to Athena. She mentioned that Teenie got in a Mack known as Phantom, I ran a search, because I thought I remembered that name. Phantom 309, is justly named, in the mid 70's the driver Big Joe wrecked the rig saving the lives of a bus load of kids. Phantom and Big Joe were destroyed in the wreck, the kids walked away safe. There have been reports for decades of hitch hikers being picked up by Big Joe and dropped off at a truck stop, now that past five years over a dozen people have gone missing at the cross roads where he crashed. Athena told Darcy she was getting picked up by The Phantom, and that she was at a cross roads in northern Nebraska."

"Son of a bitch." Autumn ran her fingers through her hair, closing her eyes, and trying to find her composure. "Send me the location, I'll head out as soon as I get loaded up."

"Autumn, you're on a hunt, I've got people here who can"  
"Jennifer, Athena is mine! Don't you dare send anyone else after her, I'll go all night and be there tomorrow evening if I leave in the next hour."

"You need to call Valover, I told her I'd have you call if anything came up."

"I'll call her when I get on the road," Autumn paused a minute still not looking at Sam or Dean. "Thanks, Jen. I owe you one."

"Don't worry about it, you got me Will back, even if he didn't stay long. This is just payback."

"Ha! If you hear anything else."

"You'll be the first to know." Autumn shut her phone and drew a deep breath.

"Where are we going?" Dean asked not giving her any time to think of a strategy to avoid him.

"You and Sam are staying," she answered numbly booting up her computer. While it started she began packing.

"No, we're not." Sam argued.

"Yes you are. Guys, we've got a hunt here."

"Forget the hunt!" Dean reached for her, crossing the room. Autumn backed away from him, desperately struggling to remember that she didn't need Dean to survive, that she could stand on her own.

"Dean you said yourself we never forget a hunt."

"That was different, Aut, this is Athena's li"

"No its not! Her life isn't at stake here, she's just fine." Autumn cut him off. "I'll be back in a few days. Sam, Jen just sent me an e-mail, you know the pass, go print me off directions." she dismissed him from the room, she could only deal with one Winchester at a time right now. Sam looked from Autumn to Dean who nodded, so gently scooping up Autumn's computer he went to the office to bum a printer.

"Autumn, let me come with you, we'll call someone else to handle this," even though he didn't allow pleading to sound in his voice she heard it.

"Dean, I'm not leaving you," she whispered stuffing jeans in her bag and ducking under the bed to fish out a pair of tennis shoes that had snuck under there. "Don't make me chose between you and Athena either, because as much as" Autumn came out from under the bed, her next words were words she hadn't ever planned on repeating, and weren't meant to be said from under a bed. She moved toward Dean drawing him to sit on the bed with her, shoving her bag to the floor. "Dean, after everything I've gone through I never thought I'd have to say this again. I honestly never wanted to feel this way, I wanted to get through the rest of my life without ever looking at another man. Without ever putting my heart in another man's hands, but you came along and you've reworked everything I believed about men. You've given me some small hope that maybe life doesn't have to be without a white knight and a ride into the sunset." She was fighting not to rock, or go robotic, knowing both moves would worry him. "Dean, when I was a growing up I was waiting to see the Impala pull back in the drive and your family to pour out and rescue me again. Part of me was in love with the idea, that I had the three musketeers out there willing to save me from anything. But a much bigger part clung to the fact that you'd come back. Not John, or Sammy, I wanted you. When I kissed you at Lena's it was like I found a part of me that had been missing, with out even knowing it was lost." she looked down at her hands breaking away from the hold of his eyes. Had he ever heard these words? Was he going to think she was weak if she said them? Dean cupped her chin forcing her to look back at him.

"Aut?" his voice was low and slow, calm and anxious at the same time.

"I don't want you to ever repeat this to me, babe. I love you, always have always will." She waited, and didn't know why she was waiting. Something was supposed to happen now, they both knew something should be happening but neither moved. Their faces hid all emotion, though their eyes were singing with the words she'd just said. After a long moment Autumn drew a deep breath and stood up. "I've got to pack, my sister needs me."

As she gathered her things Dean watched committing ever detail to memory. She'd just made letting her go that much harder. He knew she was more afraid than she was admitting to say what she'd just said. He was thankful that she'd told him she didn't want to hear the same three words come out of his mouth. Dean followed her when she took her bags out to the Mustang. Time was slipping away and worse than lost time he was losing her too.

"She's in Nebraska, I'm going to get her. I'll call you when I do and we'll decide then where to meet. It'll probably be easier for you guys to just start heading back home when you finish up here." Dean fought not to take hold of her, not to beg her to stay, because he knew he'd do the same thing if it were Sam.

"You'd better call before that." he tried to sound teasing.

"I'll call as I know something." she offered.

"No, you'll call everyday." their eyes met and she smiled for the first time that day.

"Okay, I'll call everyday." Briefly he wondered what she'd seen, but if it got her to call every day he really didn't care. "I'll be back Dean, I'm not leaving you."

"I know," he said slipping a hand behind her head and dragging her to him. She buried her face in his chest. "You two will be back in a few days and we'll start kicking ghost ass again."

"Autty, I've got it." Sam said coming up and shattering their moment. He had her laptop tucked under his arm and was brandishing a handful of white papers. "You'll have to really push the speed limit if your making it there tomorrow night." Autumn pulled away from him to face his brother.

"Yea, I figured I would." she took her things from Sam and put them in the front seat of the Ford. "You boys take care of each other." Dean realized then that she wasn't going to kiss him, she wasn't going to say good bye.

"Yea, Dad, watch out for Sammy." he returned his mask going back to normal Dean. Autumn gave a slight smirk and looked at Sam.

"You take care of Dean for me, keep him in line while I'm out." Sam nodded. "Good I'll leave some of Athena's ass for you guys to beat." she said swinging down in her car. She didn't look back up she just started the engine and pulled away. The two remaining hunters waited until she was out of sight before moving.

"Okay, you go see Bud, I'm headed back to check out the farm." Dean repeated the days orders, it was time to get back to work.

**A/N: Okay, so the hunts should get well underway in the next chapter. Seer, thanks for the loan of Dar again, I adore her. I'll see you guys in a couple of days with the next chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

-1**_A/N: Just want to put out a quick thanks to Seer for the delicious angst you made me. It was very good, loved the recipe too. I give you a Sammy Rag doll for your troubles!_**

**Plug: **Samantha-Dean is writing a sisterfic and needs some love so go R&R and for another take on the Phantom 309 go check out Loopynlovinit's Phantom 309, its much more innocent than anything Athena could ever find.

**Chapter Five **

Sam dropped Dean off at the farm, and went on to see Bud. He pulled up to the brick house, parking the Impala by the pick-ups and went to the door. A short round woman with a butch hair cut answered, she seemed skeptical of a grievance councilor but allowed Sam in just the same. She introduced herself as Marie, Bud's mother, and led him straight to Bud's bedroom. The boys room had been saturated in John Deere, everything was green and yellow, the bed had been made to resemble a tractor. Sam was half expecting a seven or eight year old to be stretched across the bed with the chocolate Labrador next to him. Instead a blonde sixteen year old laid there, eyes open staring blindly at the ceiling.

"Honey, this is Sam. He's here to talk to you about Iris and Scott." Marie coaxed, brushing her fingers through her son's bangs and sitting on his bed. "How do you feel? Do you want anything?"

"No, Mama, I'm alive," the boy's voice was dry and cracked from not being used. Marie gave him a weak smile, as she stood and passed Sam she ran her hand over his shoulder with a desperate look in her eyes.

"Is that a problem?" Sam asked pulling a chair up to Bud's bed, after Marie had left.

"Not for long," Bud's lips matched his voice, and the smile he pulled made the previous cracks bleed again. "He says if I prove myself he'll take me with him."

"Who says that?" Sam asked.

"J.R., he can't keep protecting us like this," Bud sat up cocking his head to the side and studying Sam in a way that would have given him cold chills a few years ago.

"How is your brother protecting you?"

"I'm not allowed to say, if I tell people they'll think I'm crazy. J.R. says that'll get me locked up where he can't take me."

"Where does he want to take you, Bud?"

"With him, to the better place, like he took Iris and Scottie."

"How do you have to prove yourself? What do you need to do, Bud?"

"Iris and Scott had to sacrifice, I'll do the same."

"What sort of sacrifice?" Sam pushed further. Despite the rasping of his voice and the blood that was now trailing down his chin, since he'd made no attempt at removing it, Bud seemed fully energized now. As they spoke he seemed to be being filled up with all the energy he'd wasted laying in bed the past week.

"Pardon me, Sam," he sneered the hunter's name. "But its time for you to leave, I can't just lie here any longer. Tell Mother you did your job." Bud stood ushering Sam quickly from the room and allowing no room for protest. Something wasn't right here, and Sam had no intent on leaving just yet, even if it would appear otherwise. He went out to the Impala, after a few words with Marie, and went to hide the car in the nearest convenient location.

"John, baby, you make us wreck, and I'll make you think being neutered was a walk in the park." Autumn threatened the dog who was howling in the backseat. John settled down in the seat going from howling to whimpering. "That's my boy," she reached a hand back to pet the her baby. Autumn wanted to scream, if she was being honest with herself, which she rarely was. She'd made a mistake in being all open and chick flicky with Dean, and she never should have dragged her sister in to this life. Both errors were raging war in her head, and the dog's constant noises were grinding away the frayed ends of her last nerve. Her eyes caught on the clock, three hours. Three hours since she'd burned rubber out of the parking lot leaving the Winchester brothers in her review. She'd hit the interstate and with the CB on avoided the cops as she pushed her Mustang to speeds she rarely allowed the car to dream of.

It wasn't much longer before John gave up completely and fell asleep in the backseat. The hum of the engine and the tires on the road were music to her ears. Sweet, soothing, music. Soft and gently like a lullaby. DAMN IT! Autumn swerved back into her lane. She'd gone more than three hours before, alone even, she wrote it off as being distracted and reached for her phone. She needed to call Darcy anyway, might as well put the call to good use.

"Big Red, how's it hangin'?" Darcy greeted cheerily. Autumn bit back a groan already regretting her choice in entertainment.

"By a thread," she answered not really feeling like dancing around the point. "The truck that picked Teenie up hasn't been running since the seventies."

"Oh," Darcy deflated over the phone line. "Well shit. You've go a local?"

"Yea, I'm headed there now, I had to leave the boys behind, we were already on a hunt."

"Can they handle it?" she asked with all seriousness.

"They've handled everything else. They're big boys; I can leave them home alone."

"Right, I forget that you've not always been in the same sand box. You want...do you need help?"

"I don't know yet, all I know right now is some phantom trucker has my sister and maybe involved in the disappearances of a bunch of hitchers," Autumn swallowed back the rest of her words not wanting to admit to being lost and maybe a little over her head. She knew she was going to let emotions take too big a part in this game.

"Okay, I've got to dump this car I'm in before the piggies spot me, how about grabbing me and I'll shadow you?"

"I don't need a babysitter, Valover."

"Good, because your parents couldn't afford me. You're not the only one with stakes riding on Teenie." Autumn drew another deep breath, she was about to accept help from a Valover, this was about like inviting someone with the Black Plague to have dinner with you.

"Where are you, Darcy, I'll pick you up?"

Dean reluctantly agreed to leaving Sam to watch over the questionable Bud and went to the library. It wasn't his favorite place on earth, in fact if Sam hadn't made such a good argument he'd still not be here, but Sam had and he was. He knew more about researching than he'd ever let on, and he knew exactly how to get the information he needed. Dean strode right up to the thirty-something librarian, leaning casually over the desk and smiled at her. Her grey eyes flicked over him briefly forming mistrust before he had time to let lose any of his infamous over used lines.

"Sir, don't lean on the desk, please," she said looking back to her computer screen, shoulders hunched over the keyboard. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Yes, actually," he laced more charm into his voice, this wasn't going according to plan.

"And what would that be?" her tone was flat and bored like she'd seen him coming a mile away.

"I'm looking for bird's eye photos of a property and a history of it."

"That will all be in the back left corner, there's a catalogue on the desk to look up the property you want," she waved him off without looking away from her computer. Dean stalked off muttering under his breath, to make an attempt at research.

He'd discovered a heaping helping of nothing at the farm, though the trip didn't lack in its ghostly run ins. He distinctly got the feeling that no one was going to believe them about the number of ghosts in one residency. If it were a hospital or battlefield, sure, but not a farm in a small town with, as he researched, no history of multiple deaths. Sam was working the more immediate problem of J.R. telling his friends and family to off themselves, while he dealt with the soul trap aspect of the case. Dean copied the pictures and read over the history of the land the farm was on briefly. Natives had sold the property for next to nothing, without ever giving a reason.

Athena shifted, waking up. She tried to move her arms but they ached too much to be worth the effort. She filtered through the past twenty-four hours for a reason to be so sore and came up blank, which gave her a pang of fear. The lack of reason for pain and the eyes she knew were glued on her combined with the hum of a large engine and the vibrations of a moving vehicle didn't help the fear to reside. Her eyes opened adjusting to the light almost immediately, of course there wasn't much light either. The tinted windows of the made the twilight sky look even darker. She twisted herself to face the driver, with an innocent smile.

"Hiya, darlin', glad to see you decided to wake up," the balding, beer gutted truck driver grinned at her.

"Where are we?" she mumbled pushing herself up in her seat and staring out the window at the flat expanse of nothing that surrounded them.

"Just over the boarder heading east."

"Why east? That's back where I came from?" Athena asked years of hunting keeping the panic and despair out of her voice.

"Don't worry, darlin' we'll get you taken care of," he promised.


	6. Chapter 6

-1_**A/N: **__ Sorry it took so long guys. But I ran into a few snags. I've got to run to the farm then when I get back I have homework to cover so I probably won't get a chance to write again until tomorrow evening. But all the same enjoy!_

**Chapter Six **

Sam leaned into the oak to his left and tried to see what Bud was doing, he had a black and white dog at his feet. Riley, the dog, bound about with untamed energy, barking as his master carried on a conversation with himself. Sam couldn't catch the words but he did see the disconnected look in the boy's eyes. Possession was off the list, the boy wasn't possessed he was definitely being controlled though. Bud tripped, falling down, and ripping up his knees of his jeans. He stood up cursing and swung the shovel he was carrying over his shoulder, pushing himself back up. He growled at the dog, something to the effect of it was his fault. Sam managed to creep closer and catch what Bud was saying. "It won't hurt much, Ri. I promise, I'd never really hurt you boy."

They were reaching the crest of the hill they were hiking up. The higher up the thicker the trees became, and Sam was distinctly aware of the sound of water flowing. When they finally peaked Bud stopped, kneeling down he hugged his dog, kissing his fur before standing up and raising the shovel over his head. Sam flinched a moment too late, the thud of metal on dog mixed with the yelp and clung to the air. Again and again Bud hit his dog, but after that first hit the dog made no sound just fell to the ground. Even from this distance Sam saw the accusation in the dogs eyes. Bud dropped down next to the bloody mess that had once been his companion and friend and wept. As badly as Sam wanted to go to the kid he had to keep watching, he had to figure out what was going on.

"Why don't you just go to hell!?!" Bud screamed sitting up straight and glaring daggers at the tree to his right. "Yea yea! I hear you! I have to prove I'm loyal that I can go through with this!" the boy scoffed. "You just made me kill my dog! My best damn friend!… No! Damn it, J.R.! You don't get it! I'm sick of this… No, not just lately. Scottie and Rissy weren't hurting anything. Dude! Scottie had a full ride, and Rissy had a couple of scholarships they had and effing future!…No, not just careers together too! Isn't that what you wanted for us? The whole deal right? White picked fence, 2.5 kids, a dog, and a cat, couple thousand dollars in debt… The American dream, dude!" Bud paused as if listening to some serious scolding, he scowled and nodded. "Yes, I understand. I'll finish and go."

Bud rocked to his feet and started digging a hole, as he worked he shed his shirt, the bloody mess of it was attracting flies in the unreal heat mid May. Sam watched, he was too late to do anything else. He knew he should have expected the kid to go whacko and kill something but he hadn't thought about the dog.

"Bets! My girl, how you doing?" Dean smiled all charm when he swung out of the Impala after dinner. She settled the hay bale she was carrying to the ground shifting her weight to one hip and fixed him with red rimmed eyes.

"What the hell do you want, Dean?" she called at the same time a large brown goat flanked by a smaller black one with only one horn darted around the corner of the barn. Both Winchesters looked around for the ghost dog, ready with one of John's dog bones to get rid of it. "Gretz has been dealt with. Dudes, I'm kind of busy, Bud and Riley had it out today and the goats broke lose," she paused to glare at the two creatures picking at the bale. "I've got a lot to handle and only so much sunlight, you want to cut to the chase?"

"What happened with Bud and the dog?" Sam jumped onto this new line of conversation before Dean gave away everything they knew. Betsy sighed and nodded for them to follow.

"I'll talk to you, only because you're here to help, if you'll follow. I don't have time for a tea party."

"Ah well that's good, Sammy's not allowed to attend tea parties anymore." Dean quipped.

"Riiight," she plucked up the hay bale with a graceful ease honed from years of hauling bales across the barnyard, the goats followed her obedient without her verbal orders. "Okay, so he's telling everyone that Riley when nuts on him. That he attacked him, he's scratched himself up pretty good to support his tale. But I asked him about it and he told me the truth." she dropped the bale outside the fence retrieved a pocket knife from her pocket and slashed open the hay, in a quick angry motion. " J.R.," she spat his name flinging leafs of hay over the fencing. "Told him to do it. Said that he had to prove he could…" she choked on her words and shook her head. "To prove he could kill himself too. I'd like to say I think he's crazy but he isn't."

"How do you know that?" Dean pressed stooping down and taking the smaller goat by the collar when it tried to dart away, "she go in here?" he pointed at the gate.

"Yea," Betsy nodded. "I know he's not crazy because J.R. paid me a little visit this afternoon. Stupid bastard. Hasn't changed a bit ya know? Still looks like a ten year old, and he expects me to just believe this line he's feeding me."

"What line?" Sam asked tossing the rest of the bale over the fence as Betsy leaned into it. She dusted the dry grass off her shirt and folded her arms over her chest.

"Says you three are dangerous. That you want to hurt him, I told him he was damn right. That if he was killing folks you guys were gonna handle that. Where's your wife anyway?" she turned to look at Dean. He was fumbling with the lock on the gate and looked up sharply before redirecting his gaze.

"Aut had some family business to take care of, and we're not married."

"Then you've been together since the dawn of time at least."

"Five months," Dean answered without counting. "J.R. say he wanted you to sacrifice anything?"

"Nah, didn't mention it. That's what happened to the Millers' calf isn't it? He had Scottie and Iris kill it didn't he?"

"Yea, probably. Listen, can you keep an eye on Bud?" Dean asked the wheels in his mind obviously moving.

"Sure, tell my parents I want to spend the night with him, that I'm worried," she shrugged. "Bud and I've always been tight, no one will fuss."

"Good, keep an eye on him." He waved Sam to explain what he was thinking.

"Betsy, with out a body we're going to have to purify the whole farm." Sam told her gently.

"You mean you'll have to kill them all?" Betsy accused forcing herself off the fence and penning Sam with her glare. "You'll just kill them all heedless to what they mean or do!"

"No! Not at all, we'll put them all to rest, or you and Bud will die!" Sam shot back.

"Well, what if we don't listen to him what if we don't do what he says?"

"Betsy, there's a chance he'll kill you on his own if you don't do it yourself," Dean reasoned.

"This is not happening," she ground her fist in her eyes. "I'll watch Bud, but can't you find another way?"

"We're trying."

Dean dropped into his empty bed phone lying Autumn's pillow. It was riding on midnight, and she still hadn't called. Sam had finally gone back to his room, and as tempting as it was to join him Dean stayed. The two of them had been batting back and forth idea on how to do this thing with out purifying but just incase he rolled back out of bed going to the Impala and grabbing the supplies needed to purify and started prep. He was well into his preparing sitting Indian style on the bed, journal in his lap to keep checking, as he mixed the ingredients, when the phone finally rang at 1:30.

"Hey, Aut" he grinned.

"I didn't wake you did I?" he chuckled at her worry.

"No, babe, with out a body I'm pretty much positive we'll have to purify."

"Bet Betsy is thrilled," she sounded like she was ready to drop off any minute and Dean knew why she'd called.

"Jumping through hoops," there was a pause that followed and this mornings conversation replayed in his head. He wasn't sure what she wanted him to say, he wasn't sure what he wanted to say. Five months wasn't really long in the big picture but for the two of them that was an eternity.

"You know I didn't call to listen to you breath," he heard the smile in her voice. "Okay, well maybe I did a little." He snorted.

"How far you got to go?"

"I'll pick Darcy up in about an hour, then she can take over driving we'll be in state lines tomorrow. Then just a few hours on to the cross roads."

"Darcy? You'll take her but not me?" he asked in mock hurt.

"Genius, I can't take you away from your job because my sister is a dolt. Darcy, isn't doing anything she can help without causing anyone to die."

"Alright, will you girls be okay though? No cat fights without me to watch?"

"I'll make sure to video tape all the catfights. I was thinking earlier though,"

"Sounds dangerous, didn't hurt yourself did you?"

"Haha. Look at some pictures of the farm from the sky, I can almost promise there will be a pattern."

"I've got some photos right her like that," he scrambled to grab his copies. He hadn't really looked them over earlier.

"Look at the trees or something natural that would have been standing a while," her voice was spiked with interest now and Dean pictured her eyes lighting up. As he looked the black and white image over.

"How about we have a stream flowing, in almost a perfect circle around the property, the pond would have been dead center."

"That's good, now look at the trees do they spider web?"

"Yeeea," he drawled.

"Baby, that's pretty much a spirit version of the dream catcher. Salt and burn the pond, then see if Betsy will loan you a chainsaw drop a couple of those threes you'll release the spirits."

"Good release or bad?"

"Same as putting them to rest, Dork."

"How'd you know that one?"

"Will and Jen's dad, he talked about a case he had like that once. I just didn't think of it until earlier." Dean found that they'd fallen into another silence and Autumn yawned.

"Aut?" he asked mischievously.

"Yes?" she answered back slowly.

"What are you wear?" With a laugh she launched into description of something he knew she wasn't wearing.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **I'm throwing in the lines, I think I did this for a while before don't know why I stopped but it looks better and hopefully confuses you less I know it helps me see straight. Also, though my uncle is now actively working on my laptop, the desktop has been relocated to my parents room and my brother is holding the cords hostage so when this will get updated for real is beyond me. Huge thanks to Wanderer and Seer who have been so great helping me sort this fic out. It started as a few random scenes in my head and getting them all to tie together and work has been a pain in the ass. 'Specially since I've had no idea what Big Joe was doing until the other night, Teenie's been on the fritz, and Dear Sammy has decided to take the last chapter to go out of character. R&R & enjoy!

**Chapter Seven **

"So, that's my story." He scratched his scruffy beard and glanced over at her. "Well, that's my life. Don't believe anyone who tells you there's a light at the end of a dark tunnel, hun, ain't no light, no voices of dead loved ones. Hell you don't even get a chorus of angels."  
"Maybe you did it wrong," Athena said massaging her right arm. The longer she was with Truck Driver Sicko and his precious Mack truck, the worse she felt. Her head was pounding, her legs were numb, her right arm felt like it was in a vice that just kept getting tighter, and the glimpse of herself she'd get in the mirror from time to time had her worried. She was getting dangerously pale, her lips were almost blue, and she swore she saw blood pulsing out of her nearly severed scalp, but when she reached up her head felt absolutely normal to touch.   
"HA HA!" he had a loud bodily laugh. "I like you, almost a shame we're not going to be together very long." He'd admitted to being a spook, even used the term spook, not that she wouldn't have come to the same conclusion when she saw herself. "Dying the wrong way," he chuckled again. "So, kid, you said you were headed for Canada, why?"  
"A guy," she answered deciding that the fewer details she gave away the better off she would be. He seemed to think she was a puzzle, and as long as she kept the mysterious bit going she might stand a chance.  
"A guy or the guy?" Athena twisted to glare at Big Joe but when his soulful coffee eyes fixed on her she softened.  
"We went together for a while, but things got complicated and we were too young to deal so he split." she told half the truth. "But he's in trouble now, and needs me." Big Joe nodded sagely.  
"Are you sure he's really in trouble though, sure he's not just trying to get you back?"  
"Believe me Will's in troub-What's that?" the head lights caught a dark shape up ahead of them. She looked from the road to her captor's face, he grinned toothily.  
"That, my dear, is a person. Get in the back I'm going to pick him up."

"Grab us something edible I'm going to answer the call of nature and then we'll hit the road." Darcy nodded, for once not replying with anything smart ass, leaving Autumn to slip away into the bathroom. Dean had surprised her and stayed on the phone until she pulled into the rest stop and spotted Darcy Valover. They'd be on the road again in ten minutes and she couldn't wait to drop off into dream land.  
Dinner was a bag of Lays, couple of Twinkies, and a Coke while they ate on the hood of the Ford Autumn told Darcy everything she knew and together they went over the files Jen had sent with the native on speaker between them. Jen wasn't impressed with having any Valover on the case and like a child directed all her comments to Darcy through Autumn, refusing to acknowledge any reply that didn't come from Autumn's mouth. It took longer than Autumn had planned to get on the road again but she knew as soon as she was back in the car she'd be asleep again and there were things too important to be left unsaid, such as the rules of the car.  
"Okay, you pick the radio station, and the speed, I pay for any damages out of slave labor? Anything else, Queen Autumn?" Darcy asked rolling her eyes, hand still held out for the keys. Autumn eyed her a moment before dropping the keys in her hand.  
"No, lets just get my sister so I can dump you at the pound. I swear you give John fleas I'll kill you." Darcy let the rottweiler in the backseat dropping into the driver's, Autumn collapsed into the passenger's seat and more to save herself from awkward conversation turned toward the window after buckling up.  
"Wow, this is going to be fun." Darcy muttered, easily finding the thought that told her not to press any further than she had to.

Betsy sat on Bud's bed, legs folded pretzel style while she waited on him to return from the shower. It had only been a century since they'd had a sleep over and been allowed to sleep in the same room. His room hadn't changed much since they were twelve, and she hadn't expected to feel so awkward. She'd known Bud since their older brother's started kindergarten, it had never occurred to her to fell awkward in his presence, but she guessed the 'suicidal on the orders of dead older brother' thing helped matters on that road. When Bud finally returned she was leaning back into the wall toying with the black heart necklace she wore. He gave her his lopsided grin and propped himself up against the door frame watching her.  
"Didn't know you still wore that old thing."  
"Didn't know you stopped wearing yours," she turned the heart over to look at the image of the angel engraved there.  
"Yea, that summer you and Scott spent with your uncle out west."  
"Okay, that was worst summer break ever but why stop wearing the necklace?" she asked. He held his t-shirt in his hands twisting it every which way, and the scratches he'd inflicted on himself were red and swollen across his bare chest and back, a pretty bit even kissed his forearm.  
"Guess, I stopped believing in angels that summer," he shrugged looking all the more helpless.  
"You did a good job with the injuries; how'd you do those?" she asked just for the sake of a subject change. It was pretty late, even by the standards of a sixteen year old who prefers the night, and the rest of the house had long sense gone to sleep.  
"Ya know that wall in the barn with all the rusty nails sticking out?"  
"And the bite?" she asked wincing at the thought of what he'd have to have done to get the marks that deeps and long.  
"Even a ghost dog leaves marks," he jested.  
"Well the scratches look like they're going to be infected come lay down, you idiot, and I'll go get the stuff to clean them." She bound of the bed and started out the door, but as she passed him he grabbed her arm stopping her.  
"Elizabeth, you shouldn't be here," he barely whispered. No one ever called her Elizabeth, well expect her parents when they were about to ground her.  
"I'm not going to leave you alone in this, BFF isn't just some random term to me, Buddy-boy." Fear was finally starting to kick in about this whole mess, and she tried to sound teasing and knew she'd failed miserably.  
"Me either, that's why I'm warning you. You shouldn't be around me, I'll hurt you."  
"Bud," she put her hand over his, "hurt me if you have to, but I'm not leaving you. If it comes down to it I'll knock you out, you can't hurt me if you can't move. Now, get your ass over there in that bed and I'll be right back, 'kay?"

Dean showed Sam what Autumn had pointed out to him the next morning and they'd agreed it was worth a shot, and better to do while everyone was at work or school to avoid that unfortunate call to the cops because an entire field was up in flames. The only problem was Betsy, should they release the spirits to move on and they moved on the girl was likely to kill them before they left town, and they'd have to hang out a bit to make sure J.R. was gone. But there was really little choice, it would have to be done anyway. Trapping spirits in this realm usually led to violent ghosts, in their experience.  
So when the kids headed off for school and the adults to work, Sam and Dean loaded up their pack and headed out to the dead circle that had once been a pond. The walk was easy going, and while it took most the morning to salt and drench the circle with lighter fluid and gas, the boys were undisturbed in their work. They put water down outside the dead ring to keep the fire from spreading, and lit up fires every few feet. All the ashy remains of plants that never stood a chance didn't feed the fire for long and they had stolen a couple of bales of straw to keep it going long enough to do its job.

"What the hell are you doing?" a panicked pissed off voice made both brothers spin around. Betsy stood hands on her hips, Bud was hunched over her shoulder not making eye contact with anyone. "I asked a question, are you going to answer or do I need to involve the police? My parents are going to kill me for this," she motioned at the blazing field, "anyway. I might as well make it worth my time."

"Soul Trap," Dean said stepping forward placing himself instinctively between the pissed teen and his brother.

"A what?" Betsy asked, losing steam.

"A soul trap, the natives who sold this land created a soul trap to punish the settlers." Dean continued.

"How do you know that?" she asked disbelieving.

"Is it so hard to believe I researched?" Dean asked teasingly. She eyed him still, but her hand dropped from her hips.

"What does this mean for my ghosts?"

"Those who were meant to pass on will, the others will stay. But J.R. should definitely be gone," Sam explained. She closed her eyes a moment considering her options then nodded.

"What can I do to help?"

"We need a chain saw," Dean told her. "I'll show you which trees we need to drop." He looked over to Bud giving him a once over.

"What will the trees do?" the boy asked suddenly breaking his silence.

"Finish breaking the shape that traps the souls," Sam said as if the kid was stupid.

"You can't!" all three of them stared at Bud.

"Why can't they? J.R. is dangerous., what ever we have to do to keep him from hurting anyone else we do," Betsy ordered. "No ifs ands or buts about it. We stop him or we die!"

"Exactly!" Bud grabbed her wrist spinning Betsy into his chest, producing a pocket knife from no where. "You stop him and we die."

"Wait," Sam held his hands up, his soulful eyes switching straight into their pleading. "You don't want to do this."

"I have to do this," Bud told them. "Whether or not I want to I have to."

"Buddy-boy, just relax. We can talk about this, its okay. Sam and Dean want to help us." Betsy started in, she sounded like they were discussing what to order on their pizza.

"Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Elizabeth." Bud clucked. "You know there's only one way to do this. Only one way to finish this," he paused petting his friend's head. "I kill you and me, then he's done. Everything goes back to normal."

"_Autty, I swear if you don't wake up I'm going to shoot you_!" Darcy urged mentally nudging her partner. Autumn stirred only enough to glare at the brunet driving. "You're dreams are really starting to get messy."

"Sorry," Autumn sat up rubbing sleep from her eyes. "Where are we?"

"Another hour before we hit the cross roads. You want to tell me why you used the L word if it was going to cause that much trouble?" Darcy had been trying to behave and not play in Autumn's mind while she was asleep but the girl's dreams kept flaring up, when that happened it was impossible not to see and hear the thoughts.

"Stay out of my mind, Valover."

"Don't leave the doors open," Darcy smirked. "So, come on, spill."

"Would he have let me go if I hadn't said it?" Darcy considered this for a moment before answering.

"Yea, of course. You've got the boy whipped. He'd have hated it but he'd have let you go save your sister. That's what the Winchester boys do, they save everyone."

"Uh huh." Autumn rolled her eyes.

"That's a record, we've been together four hours and you're already starting to act like me."

"Bite me!"

"Do I look like a vampire to you?"

"They're very deceiving, look just like everyday folks."

"Daemon, you're dancing around the subject."

"Fine, I said it 'cause it needed said. If he knows that I … he won't need me to cling so close to him all the time." Darcy bit back a laugh.

"Like you don't want him around all the time." Darcy bit back a laugh.

"Like you don't want him around all the time."

"I do, but there are things, like this, that he can't be along for. He's got this abandonment issue that I'm never going to settle," Darcy knew Autumn well enough to know she'd drop off into rant in about two seconds to keep from admitting her own issues and feelings.

"But that's part of what you love about him," she teased.

"Ugh, I knew this was going to be a mistake." Autumn rolled her eyes, again.

"What's the game plan once we get to the crossroads? Or have you not got that far yet?"

"What happens if I kick your butt out to play little hitcher? He seems to like picking them up, and you and Teenie have something in common with the others I don't."

"Care to share?"

"The year you were born, all the victims have been born between 82 and 85. I don't exactly fit in there," Autumn told her reaching for her computer to show, unnecessarily, the information.

"Daemon you didn't let me come out here to be your bait did you?" Autumn didn't meet her eyes when she looked over. "You may not be so bad after all."

**A/N:**_Sorry about how long this took guys, I was a little caught up in... I have no idea. It just took forever. Then halfway through my uncle finished my computer so i had to move everything onto my laptop. But I'm up and running again so YAY! I may have you weigh in on the ending of this fic in the next chapter. I'm debating a little. Much love and REVIEW! _


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry about keeping this so long. This whole fic I seem to have been a little out of it. Lately just haven't felt like working on this, I know I know and please don't shoot me. But I was having some issues working with Dean... well Sam was the one with the problem I was on Dean's side. Then Athena was worried about her sanity soo... But we should be done with Phantoms in something like two chapters, after this one. THANKS for sticking with me guys!**

**Chapter Eight**

Athena climbed behind the seats into the bunk tucked back there, as the air breaks screeched to a halt. Big Joe leaned over pushing open the door and gave the man standing on the side of the road a big grin. The man ran a hand through his hair launching into thanks for the ride. Joe shrugged him off, instructing the man to swing up into the cab.

"I'm Big Joe," the trucker said tipping his ball cap. "This is my girl, Teenie." The young man nodded to Teenie though his eyes were wide with horror.

"Cameron. What happened to her, she looks"

"Like hell warmed over?" Joe's head bobbled. "Yea, I'm taking her to the hospital, found her too. I'm faster then any ambulance." Teenie took the worried look on Cameron's face to mean that she wasn't loosing her mind she did look like an extra in Indian war movie.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"Yea, I've had worse than this before," she tried to assure her new companion.

"Teenie, maybe you should lay down," Cameron told her brow furrowing as he twisted in his seat to watch her. "Give me your wrist I can watch your vitals. Wish I'd had the sense to grab my bag when Ellie booted my ass. I'm in med school, my girl friend and I were road tripping just took finals." Cameron told her calmly in that all knowing voice of great doctors. He smiled an understanding, encouraging smile, "Head injury like that I'm surprised you're still alive, we need to put pressure on that, can you tell me what happened?" Athena laughed, maybe she was insane.

"Cam, honey, you're never going to believe this, but you and I are both going to die. Joe here is a ghost and so is this rig." Concern over rode the horror in his eyes, and he glance at Big Joe who only shrugged.

"She's been rambling about ghosts since I picked her up. The girl's stark raving mad."

"Teenie, no one is going to die today. What's your full name?"

"Athena Rhea Daemon, and you'll look like me in a few hours just give it time."

"Bud, we don't have to die!" Betsy pleaded as Bud dragged her after him.

"You don't understand anything, Bets so shut up. Dean, Sam, come with me." The Winchesters hesitated. "Come, NOW!" He twisted Betsy's arm and she bit back a scream. "You're only going to make this messy. Leave the fire and let's go." Sam stepped forward hands up slightly proving he didn't want to be a threat, Dean had other plans. He followed his brother a few paces and when Bud was satisfied that they were going to follow, Dean slid his gun out of his waist band. Another few paces, Bud had Betsy held close to him like so many bad guys had held their hostages in bad movies, she looked terrified and kept up her end of an argument with him, adamant that they didn't have to die. Sam wasn't watching Dean, he seemed to be working his brain over trying to come up with a way out of this without either kid getting hurt. Dean used everyone else's preoccupation to his advantage. Pause. Aim. Shoot. "SON OF A BITCH!" Bud threw Betsy away from him, and Sam grabbed her. Bud held his arm where the bullet had grazed him.

"Sam, you take Betsy and get the trees down," Dean ordered, grabbing Bud by the good arm.

"Dean," Sam started in his ever warning tone.

"Trees, before J.R. comes to handle his own business." Sam didn't making a verbal reply instead he gave Betsy a once over and started back towards the barns to get a chainsaw. "Where is he?" Dean demanded of Bud.

"You shot me!" he accused.

"Wow, you're a genius. Where's your brother?"

"You shot me!" he repeated.

"Bud, you'll live, but not for long if you don't give me a hand. Now, where is J.R.?" Dean gave Bud a little shake, and the boy actually smirked.

"If I tell you you'll just kill him."

"Sam?" Betsy asked as she followed him. She had the map and was supposed to be leading them to the trees Dean had marked to be cut down, based on what Autumn had been able to tell them

"Yea?" he answered swinging the chainsaw idly.

"That wasn't really Bud was it?"

"I don't think he was possessed if that's what you're asking. But he did seem to really believe that killing the two of you is the only way." Betsy sighed, and pointed to a tree at the top of a small incline.

"Drop that one." The tree was larger than most the other trees around , and in the middle of a small clearing. Betsy sat down, while Sam struggled to start the saw, looking over the map. "All these trees are the same and planted in the clearings."

"That's good," Sam said through clenched teeth.

"Here," she rocked to her knees and crawled over to start the saw for Sam, she yanked the cord a couple of times and it roared to life. "Dean's not going to hurt Bud is he?"

"No, he knows he's been influenced by the spirit, er J.R." Sam replied putting the blade to the tree. The vibrations made his arms numb as he the saw ate through the trunk.

"Uh Sammy!" Betsy yelled over the roar of the engine. He pushed on looking away from his work to her. "Help?" It wasn't until she turned that he saw a gun to her back, no one else was out there. Sam killed the chainsaw dropping it in exchange for the gun tucked in his waistband, when it hit him that Betsy wasn't going to be hit by rocksalt, if anything she'd get a real bullet. "What do we do?" Betsy asked panicked. Sam grabbed up the chainsaw again, starting it on the first pull this time and pushed through the remaining inches of tree. The moment the saw broke free, the gun went off, causing Betsy scream hitting the ground at the same time as the tree.

"I'll be right over there," Autumn pointed just out of sight. "I'll have my lights off so you won't see me but I'm not leaving." she assured Darcy. The brunet nodded, they'd only covered the plan a million times, in the fifteen minute drive out here from the tiny town that harbored the county documents. Neither was a hundred percent on what they'd do once Darcy was in the truck. They had it planned out up to that point, the only thing on their minds being getting Teenie back. Then they'd have to improvise, as there wasn't enough left of Big Joe to bury and he was cremated.

"You'll make you're move when I get in the truck." Darcy finished. "Now, will you just get this old car of yours out of sight so we can get this over with?"

"Don't insult Scarlet like that!" Autumn scolded climbing back into the Ford..

"One day you'll have to realize that this is just a car." Darcy called after her. Autumn disappeared from sight as soon as she shut off her lights. Darcy shook her head and shouldered the backpack she was carrying. "Just like always, Dar, stick your thumb out when you see lights and play poor innocent girl."

It was a good fifteen minutes before lights rose on the horizon, she waited till they got closer and was disappointed to find it was only a minivan. Three hours passed and only four vehicles went by, none of which were their target. Darcy was ready to send the txt waiting on her phone that would draw Autumn out of hiding. They needed to go back to the drawing board and try something else, she sat up, from her perch on the road railing. When lights appeared in the intersection, Darcy threw a glance in Autumn's direction and felt for her mind, the red head didn't see it. Two terrified minds were coming from the lights' center, the thoughts crashing in on Darcy's. She'd have known one of them anywhere. The Mack stopped a few feet past Darcy the door swinging open, inviting her forth.

"Hiya, Darlin'," the big guy inside greeted with a lopsided grin.

"Hey," she smirked. "Where you headed?" Darcy tried to crane her neck and see into the back, but only caught a wisp of blonde hair. "_Teenie?" _Panic stricken recognition wafted down the link.

"Where ever you wanna go." he leered. Darcy swung up in the cab, dropping in the front seat and avoiding looking behind her, she hugged her back pack slipping one hand inside and gripping a handgun loaded with rocksalt, so far so good.

"You've got to be too good to be true," she replied teasingly.

"You've got no idea."

**A/N: Was it worth the toture i've put myself through the past few weeks to write this? I know its short and I'm not going to lie and say the next chapter will be faster. I'm not sure it will be, but I wanted to put something up so you know I'm not dead. So...I'm alive! R&R and ANY suggestions will make me worship you!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Hey guys! Again sorry it took so long but I didn't know how to get rid of Big Joe and have been battling writer's block. But talking to Wanderer the other day it finally hit me. I hope you enjoy...and did anyone else notice that they're on two different time lines? Really the Sam Dean stuff should be a few hours ahead of the girls...

**Chapter Nine**

Autumn bit her lip and watched Darcy disappear into thin air. She hated to admit it but this Big Joe guy had a nice set up. Only his victims saw him and no one ever sees them again. Not that that was going to be the case with Athena and Darcy, at least not while she still had a heart beat. She knew that they could see her even if she couldn't see them so she stayed in her car a moment longer, still trying to formulate a plan. Autumn never considered this situation as a possibility, nothing was supposed to touch her sister. She started to open the door when Darcy finally made herself known.

_"Sit still, Teenie is fine and there's someone else in here. Until you think of something don't move." _Darcy ordered. It drove Autumn mad to be being commanded by that little thing, but she obeyed none the less. Darcy was on the inside but how much protection could she offer, and how much good could Autumn be if she was in there too?

"_Teenie, you look like shit," _Darcy told her friend brushing her mind against Athena's. She ran quick scans of both the living passengers, a side from the fact that the guy, Cameron , was going to need a serious shrink they were okay. The nasty injuries seemed to be faked, not that they weren't sucking at their owners energy. "_Don't worry, Autters and I are going to get you out of here._" Darcy swore.

Athena reached for Cameron's hand, Darcy wasn't talking to him, it'd only upset him more, so she had to be his comfort. She'd never really tried the comfort thing with grown men, scared women and children were easy you just held their hands and walked them through everything pretending not to be as scared as you were. Cameron gave her a weak smile, he hair was blood matted too, one eye seemed to dangle from its socket making her want to vomit, his right arm was twisted in a way that was no where close to natural and judging by how he held his legs they were pretty messed up to. In the past few hours the pain had gone from a dull throbbing to making you want to scream for mercy and wish you'd just die already, the blood loss that wasn't real made her dizzy and light headed, and all Athena could really think about was going to sleep but the constant prodding from Darcy's mind kept her from doing any such thing.

Dean wasn't sure what had happened and wasn't sure he liked it. Well, not entirely true, he like that Bud wasn't conscious anymore, something about that kid creeped him out, he liked that the tension in the air had disappeared completely, what he didn't like was that for it to have stopped J.R. had been distracted or released, either way he wanted to hear from Sam and that wasn't about to happen. Dean hauled Bud's limp body up and slung him into the bed of the pick-up waiting in the drive, there was not way he'd violate his baby with this kid. He went for his first aide kit, with Bud out it'd be easier to handle the graze on his arm, it was a little deeper than he'd meant but still a nice clean cut. Bud started coming around about the time he finished up. The first thing the boy did was jump back shoving himself against the hot plastic bed liner.

"Who're you?" he demanded to know.

"You're fairy god-mother," Dean answered closing up his box.

"Where's Bets?"

"With my brother," panic filled Bud's eyes. "Sammy won't hurt her, don't worry about him. So kid what do you remember?"

"About?" he drawled.

"Let's start with the date?"

"May tenth we buried Iris and Scott yesterday."

"No, that was almost a week ago."

"Oh shit!"

"Hold that thought," Dean said as his phone started to ring. "What's going on?" he asked Sam on the other end of the phone.

"Keys are in her truck and the Impala won't make it out here. Come get us," Sam sounded too calm for everything to be alright so he gestured for Bud to move to the cab, which he did never taking his eyes off of Dean. "What happened?"

"J.R. paid us a visit, we're both okay. She's just in a little shock, gun went off I don't know how it missed her." Sam explained. "No Bets, I didn't say you were shot," he said kind of muffled. "Dean just come out here so we can get her back and finish this."

"On my way," Dean hung up as he swung up into the cab.

Darcy yawned watching the scenery, as if keeping her mind in four heads at once wasn't hard enough Big Joe's power was starting to wear on her. She'd caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, her neck was obviously broken by the angle, which gave her one slip of information. Even if your injuries deem you dead you have to withstand them until your fuel light comes on before you actually die. Athena was driving her batty trying to go to sleep, Cameron was slipping quickly into shock and she wasn't sure if it was worth it to hold him back, and Autumn was beating her brains out.

A stop sign with "war" spray painted under the big white letters came into view, it was identical to the one they'd passed about ten minutes ago. In fact for a road this far out of the way, so rarely used, it had a lot of stop signs on it. She looked to her left out the windshield as they picked up speed again and sure enough their lights reflected off something car sized and red. She wanted to laugh, they were like cartoon people, doomed to forever drive the same stretch until whoever was controlling their lives decided to put a new scene in. She pulled her mind from Cameron's not wanting him to hear what she was about to say to the other two hunters. This might be there way out, if either could confirm her thought on the reasoning for the short leash.

_"Ladies we're hamsters in a wheel, what does that mean?" _Darcy asked, Athena offered a mental yawn of disinterest but nothing else, her usefulness was quickly fading and Darcy sent her another burst of energy she herself was running low on. How long had she been at this?

"_It means you're tied to the area,_" Autumn responded with a bored tone.

"_Exactly, and why would that happen?_"

"_Because someone put something here the both Joe and Phantom are very close to, something that symbolizes them!"_ Autumn's mind was racing now and Darcy had to pull away from Teenie a little to keep up. "_I've got a plan am I allowed out of time out now?"_

"_I need to do anything for this plan to work?"_

"_Yea, you've got your gun on you if things don't go how I need them to I want you to do a good old fashion hold up. Dean worried that you were some criminal hitcher for a reason, so act it."_ Autumn actually broke their bond. Something that unnerved Darcy a little, but considering her own lack of stores she really doubted she needed to put much stock in it. On their next loop around she saw Autumn in the ditch creeping toward the spot said to be the collision site.

Since a couple of friends had died in an accident in high school, Autumn knew all to well how the victims' family and friends were drawn to the place of death. As a symbol of their loss, and love they often left items by white crosses. She stayed low to the ground not sure how much attention the trucker would be paying and edged to the spot he'd died. Sure enough a weather beaten white wooden cross lay buried in the mud, it'd been ground in pretty well or it'd have been chopped up when the city sent out their crews to cut the grass along the roadside. She dug it out of the ground and used it to scrape away the mud around the area uncovering several other trinkets, odds and ends. A few laminated photos that had been sun bleached, toy Mack trucks, and a silver cross with stuffing stuck in its chain as if it'd been worn by a stuffed animal during its demise. Autumn hit something hard and metallic, using her stick she found its edges and popped it up. What could be closer to a truck and its driver than its license plate?

"Stay with her," Dean ordered Bud as he pulled the chainsaw out of the bed of the truck. Bud and Betsy were sitting back there. He had his arms wrapped around her so tight it looked painful, and was rocking her apologizing profusely though he wasn't sure what he'd done. Bud looked up from Betsy just long enough to nod.

"Sure they'll be okay?" Sam asked following Dean to the next tree they had to drop.

"Yea, we're only twenty feet away." Dean assured his brother. Sam cast another look at the two teens before explaining the trick to getting this saw going on one rip.

They dropped four more trees before heading in, by then Betsy had gotten her head back together, at least enough to be her cocky self on the outside, but if anyone knew what had to be going on in her head it was Dean. Sam drove them back to Bud's place, Dean following in his baby. It took a good hour to explain what had been going on, and the kids still had a million questions. Betsy demanded to have their phone numbers so if they hadn't taken care of the situation, which they believed they had, they could come back.

"You two watch each other," Dean instructed as they led the two hunters to the door.

"You're leaving?" Betsy asked sounding slightly heart broken.

"We've got Autumn to find, but we'll be staying another day or two just to make sure things have cooled down." Sam promised.

"Will we see you?" she asked.

"Only if things go wrong, otherwise we'll be gone just like it never happened." Sam told her gently.

"Right, we're only children now and last week we both had an older sibling. Just like it never happened," Bud scoffed.

"We don't bring them back from the dead we just make sure they stay that way. If you're smart you won't try it either, they won't come back the same. They'll be like J.R." Dean warned. Betsy nodded obediently.

"And if we ever need you"

"Just call," Dean finished for her. She smiled at him and opened the front door.

"You guys had better go, Bud's 'rents will be home soon we don't want you getting into any trouble." she sounded teasing. Bud and Betsy stood on the porch watching them walk to the Impala and pull out of the drive, just before they turned onto the road she yelled a 'thanks' after them.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: FINALLY!!! Here it is the end! It sucks major and I won't be writing anything for a few weeks. I know you're all excited about that. At least two Sarah free weeks, well guess what means no reviews either...So HA! I'm sacking up and headed to the county fair. When I get back I'll have gone on my first date (which is promising to be something I'll regret agreeing to), and been driven crazy by the heat. But hey I'll have a few ribbions and a good sunburn. I WILL be posting a ONESHOT before I leave, just to take care of any addicts I may have...Okay that's it. Love ya all, review please!**

**Chapter Ten**

Autumn gathered up her booty and took it back to the Mustang, there wasn't really any logical way she'd get a fire burning hot enough out here to melt the license plate down, or most the other items. She had to get to town and find something huge and hot, and thankfully the town had a steel mill she might just be able to slip into. Darcy was still in her head, not as much as she wanted to be but while she'd been digging Valover grabbed hold of her mind, and Autumn allowed it cause the link worked two ways, she could feel the strain on Darcy and was willing to share a little energy if it meant getting out of this alive.

"_Go. We'll be fine,_" Darcy urged sensing her hesitation to leave them.

"_Teenie?_" Autumn asked.

"_Is fine, but won't be if you don't get on with it."_

Autumn took off, toward town. It wasn't hard, even with the nightshift working away, to get into the steel mill. She got in one of the trains that was returning from dumping its load and then found a large hot vat underneath which a huge fire burned. It was nothing to toss the artifacts into the flames, staying only long enough to assure herself they'd burn. Smoke set off alarms brining men running and she made a quick exit.

Meanwhile Darcy, Cameron, and Teenie found themselves dropped on the road as the phantom rig went up in flames disappearing with a final wail of its horn, Big Joe inside. They all laid still as could be on the pavement for the longest moment of their lives before Darcy pushed herself up. The wounds the pair had shown before were gone., not a single trace of the injuries remained. Cameron was definitely in shock though, and she reached out to him, slipping her hand in his. She didn't have to tell that it was over and all going to be fine now, he just seemed to know it. Teenie rolled into a sitting position and looked at Darcy with a half smirk.

"You just can't keep your mouth shut can you?" she teased.

"Don't even go there, Athena Rhea Daemon," Darcy threatened. "You damn near got yourself killed and you want to joke about it? You'll be lucky if Autumn don't skin you alive. Do you know the hell she went through to get here? She agreed to work with me, and we all know she's president of my fan club." Athena dropped her head immediately, and then the tears started.

Darcy comforted her friend as best she could before realizing they'd be road kill if anyone went by out here. The two women drug Cameron into the ditch with their luggage that fell out of Phantom 309 with them. Autumn didn't say much when she came back to pick them up, they dropped Cameron off at the nearest ER, he'd probably spend a few days in the crazy ward but would be fine. Then the three women returned to the motel where John greeted them as if he never thought he'd any of them again. Teenie stole the first shower and Darcy tossed Autumn the cell phone she'd laid on her night stand.

"Go call him," she ordered. "Don't give me that look, Daemon. Sam'll want to know that his Barbie doll is okay, and Dean's probably going out of his mind without you."

"I'll share a bed with Teenie," Autumn said flipping open her cell and nodding toward the bathroom door a silent request to pass on the information. Darcy waved her out pulling the rottweilier on her bed to her before flicking on the TV.

"Aut!" Dean picked up after one ring, "Uh, hey." he grunted and tried to sound uncaring. Autumn smiled into the phone.

"I miss you too, Dork." Relief filtered through the line.

"Did you get her?"

"Yea, we've got a lot to talk about, but not tonight. I'll let her sleep then she and I will discuss Will and…the future." She wasn't sure she liked the idea that was starting in her head but it may be the only way not to loose her baby sister.

"Don't let her run off on her own again, send Darcy, or Hell even John with her," he advised.

"Yea, that's sorta what I was thinking. You get everything taken care of on your end?"

"Yea, going to sit still a little longer but should be out of here tomorrow night. Anywhere you want to meet us?"

"Yea, actually. Dean, I want you to meet me at home."

"Okay, I'll see you at home then. God, I love the sound of that." Autumn giggled at the longing in his voice.

"Why, cause you have roots now?"

"No, because there's this little red thing that I know I'll always be able to find there."

"Well if its got your interest it's a car or a woman, do I have to be jealous of more than the Impala now?"

"You're jealous of my car?" Dean asked baffled.

"Babe, you kiss it goodnight." Autumn reminded him.

"Oh and that's worse than you giving yours a rub down after every hunt?"

"Hey! She's too pretty to let my life ruin her. Its called maintenance." she countered in mock hurt.

"Uh huh," Dean yawned.

"I woke you didn't I?"

"No, I was awake."

"Waiting?"

"Yea, a real babe was supposed to call me."

Autumn rolled her eyes, "Go to sleep, Dean. I'll see you at the resort."

"He's not going to disappear again!" Darcy woke to whispered arguing the next morning. Both Daemons looked like they were two seconds from drawing their guns and shooting each other. It didn't take long to get caught up, this was the talk.

"He has already, Athena." Autumn shot back.

"Not by choice something is very wrong."

"She's right," Darcy threw in her two cents.

"Valover this isn't about you." Autumn warned.

"Yes it is, cause I'm going with her." Darcy decided for them.

"Excuse me?" Teenie demanded. "Did I ask for a babysitter?"

"Consider it a mobile slumber party," Darcy smiled wagging her eyebrows. "Bet I'm a lot more fun than this wet blanket anyway." She jerked a thumb in Autumn's direction. "What do you say Autty?"

"Sounds good to me. Athena you want to get away from me and the boys for a while, you claim you need to clear your head. Well you want to do all that AND find Willy you do it with Darcy or not at all." Teenie folded her arms over her chest and pouted. "I'll sweeten the deal," Autumn offered.

"No!" Darcy's jaw dropped gawking at Autumn's thoughts.

"Yes," Autumn threw Athena the keys to her prized car. "You guys take Scarlet, I'll call Marc, he'll come pick me and John-dog up. I expect an e-mail, text, or phone call everyday. The second you think you might be over your heads I want a call I'll be on the red eye to you."

"Autty?" Athena questioned.

"You'll always be my baby sister, Teen, but you're not a baby anymore. I have to let you do this," she smiled though it broke her heart to say so.

"I love you too, Autters." Teenie grinned hugging her sister.

"Right, well you two better get packed and out of here before I change my mind." Autumn hugged her sister back briefly before stepping away. "I'm going to go call Marc."


End file.
